Fodor's Expert Review Xe Lua

A good Vietnamese restaurant in Manhattan is hard to find, which is why you should seek out Xe Lua, in Chinatown just below Little Italy. Quick service and the marathon-length menu should satisfy any palate, but the real standouts are the clay-pot dishes: cooked and served in—you guessed it—a clay pot, the pork, chicken, veggies, or whatever you order become slightly caramelized, giving a subtle sweetness to the dish. The pho (the soupy national dish of Vietnam) is also a good bet, as the broth has a bolder flavor here than at other places.